Palin: Pakistan remark was a response to a voter

Tuesday

Sep 30, 2008 at 12:01 AMSep 30, 2008 at 11:57 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Gov. Sarah Palin said Monday that her comment about attacking terrorist targets in Pakistan, which appeared to contradict the position of GOP presidential nominee John McCain, was a response to a "gotcha" question from a voter.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Gov. Sarah Palin said Monday that her comment about attacking terrorist targets in Pakistan, which appeared to contradict the position of GOP presidential nominee John McCain, was a response to a "gotcha" question from a voter.

"This was a voter, a constituent, hollering out a question from across an area asking, 'What are you gonna do about Pakistan? You better have an answer to Pakistan.' I said we're gonna do what we have to do to protect the United States of America," Palin told the "CBS Evening News" in an interview about her exchange with a voter Saturday at a Philadelphia restaurant.

The Republican vice presidential candidate's answer was similar to Democratic nominee Barack Obama's statement that he would support sending U.S. troops into Pakistan to attack high-value targets like Osama bin Laden and other top al-Qaida leaders who are thought to be hiding in tribal areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

"If that's what we have to do stop the terrorists from coming any further in, absolutely, we should," Palin told the voter during the exchange, which was captured on video.

Except McCain chided Obama during Friday's presidential debate for saying publicly that he supports striking terrorist targets inside Pakistan if the Pakistani government is unable or unwilling to do so.

McCain, who sat with Palin, said in Monday's interview that he understands "the day and age of 'gotcha' journalism. ... In a conversation with someone who you didn't hear the question very well, you don't know the context of the conversation. Grab a phrase. Gov. Palin and I agree that you don't announce that you're going to attack another country."

Palin added that "as Sen. McCain is suggesting here, also, never would our administration get out there and show our cards to terrorists, in this case, to enemies and let them know what the game plan was."

Asked what she learned from the experience, Palin said: "That this is all about "gotcha" journalism. A lot of it is. But that's OK, too."

Palin, the governor of Alaska, energized McCain's campaign when he chose her as a running mate in late August. But polls show her popularity waning as she has struggled to answer questions about foreign policy in the few interviews she has given journalists.

Asked about the criticism, including from some conservatives, about her readiness for high office, Palin said: "Not only am I ready but willing and able to serve as vice president with Sen. McCain if Americans so bless us and privilege us with the opportunity of serving them," she said, "Ready with my executive experience as a city mayor and manager, as a governor, as a commissioner, a regulator of oil and gas."